Apprenticeship over for Rangers RHP Lewis

When Lewis made the opening day roster for the Texas Rangers in 2002, it was a surprise. The struggles that led to a midseason demotion last season were a disappointment.

Lewis was back in the rotation by the end of last season and had a solid finish. But now he has to prove himself again in spring training.

"He's had his apprenticeship," manager Buck Showalter said. "It's time to see if he can go to the next level now. … He knows that prospect to suspect thing is there at some point."

Kenny Rogers and Chan Ho Park are the only pitchers guaranteed starting spots. Just like last year, Lewis is competing with several other young pitchers to fill out the rotation.

"It's time, definitely, for me to have a good year, have a solid year and stay up all year," Lewis said. "Just set standards and go after them."

Last season, Lewis was 3-0 with a 4.43 ERA in his first four starts. Then the right-hander went through a 10-game stretch when he was 1-5 with a 11.37 ERA and didn't get past the fourth inning six times.

The Rangers sent him back to the minors with a list of objectives to accomplish. And he did.

"He came back a better product," Showalter said. "If we could take the guy that came back from Oklahoma City, I'm in."

Lewis went 6-4 his final 12 starts in Texas, and ended like he began, going 4-0 with a 4.55 ERA in five September games.

"For myself, it was crucial to know exactly what the organization wanted me to do, as far as the aspect of what they wanted me to work on," Lewis said. "I worked on them, and got it figured out."

It was as much mental and physical.

Lewis said Showalter and pitching coach Orel Hershiser talked to him about just relaxing and letting things happen. They told him to have good starts at Triple-A and carry that feeling back to the majors.

Showalter has noticed a change.

"He has a little more confidence," Showalter said. "It's a little more, `OK, I ain't got it figured out, but I know what I have got to do now. It's up to me.' "

Lewis played two seasons at a junior college in his hometown of Bakersville, Calif., before the Rangers drafted him 38th overall in 1999, a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds.

After making the opening day roster in 2002 as a reliever, and the 13th pitcher on the staff, he split the season between Texas and Triple-A Oklahoma City. Before that, he had never pitched above Double A, but had been successful.

His 1.95 ERA at Pulaski in his first pro season was the Appalachian League's lowest. His 153 strikeouts in 2000 were second-most in the Florida State League. Then he won 11 games in 2001 to match for the most by a Rangers' minor leaguer while striking out a franchise-high 170.

The Rangers are ready to see Lewis have that kind of success in the major leagues.

Notes:@ Lewis, shortstop Michael Young and likely starting center fielder Laynce Nix are among the unsigned 40-man roster players. The others are are infielder Jason Bourgeois and pitchers Joaquin Benoit and Ricardo Rodriguez. Catcher Gerald Laird and pitchers R.A. Dickey, Ryan Drese and Ben Kozlowski agreed to one-year contracts Thursday. … Showalter said he already has his lineup set in his mind. "I think it's really set," he said. He wasn't ready to share it publicly, but said his likely leadoff hitters were Michael Young and Eric Young. … INF Herbert Perry, who played in just 11 games last year because of injuries, said he was feeling good after his second full day of workouts. He had right rotator cuff surgery and arthroscopic surgery on both knees last summer.